David Kooris, Director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Bridgeport, stands on the vacant Steel Pointe property that will soon become the site of Bass Pro Shops, in Bridgeport, Conn. March 26. 2014.
Photo: Ned Gerard

David Kooris, Director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Bridgeport, stands on the vacant Steel Pointe property that will soon become the site of Bass Pro Shops, in Bridgeport, Conn. March 26. 2014.
Photo: Ned Gerard

David Kooris, Director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Bridgeport, stands on the vacant Steel Pointe property that will soon become the site of Bass Pro Shops, in Bridgeport, Conn. March 26. 2014.
Photo: Ned Gerard

Consumers increasingly are sitting in front of their computers or using their smarthones or tablets to order items from retailers, eroding sales at brick-and-mortar retail outlets, but three national retailers are bucking the trend as they forge ahead with plans to build big-box stores in Fairfield County.

Lowe's, the North Carolina-based home improvement chain, plans to build a store on Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk, while Missouri-based Bass Pro Shops plans to build a store at the Steel Point site in Bridgeport.

Construction of a 161,000-square-foot retail building in Monroe is expected to start in September 2015, and speculation is the occupant could be a Super Wal-Mart.

While these retailers fall into the big-box category, they offer a different line of products or strategy than some other retailers, like Office Depot, Staples and Radio Shack, who have opted to close stores or reduce their retail footprint. Large department store chains, including Target, Macy's and Kmart also have closed some stores.

But those retailers adding to their presence in the county still rely on in-store sales for a good part of their revenue, according to Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a New Canaan-based research and strategy provider to consumer service and retail companies.

"The Internet is important for stores like Lowe's and Home Depot, and it is growing, but it's not like 47 percent (of revenue) at Williams Sonoma," Johnson said.

`Foot traffic is important'

BJ's Wholesale Club, which opened last year in a 125,000-square-foot building in Brookfield, had eyed property on Federal Road for more than a decade.

The timing was right for the chain as the nation started to change its shopping habits, said Garett Palmer, a broker and retail specialist with Goodfellow Ashmore in Danbury.

"Today's traditional brick-and-mortar retail has forced landlords and tenants to rethink how to position their products to compete with online shopping. On the landlord side, foot traffic to their center is very important," Palmer said, adding access to I-84 made the Federal Road-area an attractive target for Stew Leonard's, Kohl's, Home Depot, Shop Rite, Costco and Lowe's.

"Service-type businesses are key to making that happen. BJ's is a service-type business with not only the wholesale club, but it services the gas and the tire center, as well."

"The fact that BJ's opened on 'The Road' in the economic times that we're currently in to compete with a Costco that's been established in the market for many years, is a very positive sign for the area and shows how strong the immediate demographics are," Palmer said.

There has been a move to fill vacant retail space in the Danbury area, he said, citing Planet Fitness filling 26,000 square feet as an example.

But Palmer said more retail development could be on the horizon.

"Once we're at the end stage of existing space," Palmer said, "it then creates a demand to look at development projects that have been on hold the last five to seven years."

New Milford project cancelled

Plans were withdrawn last April for what many had speculated would be a Super Wal-Mart in New Milford in Litchfield County, but attorney Neil Marcus, who represented applicant Saber New Milford LLC, said he did not know if the occupant of the proposed 154,000-square-foot building would have been Wal-Mart.

"There's been a lot of discussion in the New Milford corridor about Wal-Mart. Now they're operating in an old Bradlees in New Milford. Wal-Mart has a reputation for trying to never expose what their plans are," said Marcus, a partner in the real estate, land use and zoning, municipal and family group at Cohen & Wolf, which has offices in Bridgeport, Danbury, Orange and Westport.

Now, the Arkansas-based retailer is rumored to be the occupant of a planned 161,000-square-foot building in Monroe scheduled for completion in the spring of 2016.

"They (Wal-Mart) would do terrific there. It's a home run," Johnson said. "Monroe is smack-dab in the center of Fairfield County."

Wal-Mart, the multibillion-dollar global retailer, seems to be immune from online competition and has taken the initiative, introducing "Savings Catcher" on its website, comparing prices at other retailers in the Dallas, San Diego and Atlanta markets. The goal is to draw customer into stores.

Online shopping "is never going to eliminate the need for brick-and-mortar stores," said Kevin Solli, principal in Solli Engineering in Monroe, designer of the Monroe project, and Connecticut's government relations chairman for the International Council of Shopping Centers. "People like to touch and feel what they're going to purchase. You're not going to get that online."

Prime location

Shoppers at home-improvement centers have not abandoned the desire for an in-store experience, rather than buying a lawn mower or paint online.

Lowe's has found a prime location to attract shoppers, Johnson said, noting the property, the former site of Affinion marketing, is part of a regional retail mecca. Plans call for razing the vacated complex to make room for the 142,000-square-foot store on a 10.2-acre site. Construction is expected to start this summer with completion in the summer of 2015. The store will employ about 125 people.

"Lowe's desperately wanted a place in the southern part of Fairfield County," Johnson said, noting the site's proximity to Home Depot at 600 Connecticut Ave., less than 1 1/2 miles to the west. "Obviously, Home Depot will lose a little business."

Like all major retailers, Lowe's is taking advantage of its mobile app and its website to market its products and services and lure shoppers to its stores.

"Visiting a physical store location is important for customers who may be working on a project that requires immediate access to material or supplies, such as everyday maintenance projects," said spokeswoman Natalie Turner, adding customers like to tap the expertise of store employees. "Our customers often choose to interact with us through multiple channels during a single project. Many customers also reference Lowes.com and our social media platforms to research a project or a purchase, comparing features and prices and accessing how-to videos before making a purchase later in the store or online."

Bass Pro Shops

After announcing plans in 2012 to come to Bridgeport, Bass Pro Shops on Monday received approval from Connecticut Innovations for $22 million in state bonds to go ahead with the 150,000-square-foot store.

Work is underway to prepare the site, utilities are being installed and some environmental contamination is being cleaned up. Groundbreaking is scheduled for this summer with the store scheduled to open in mid-2015.

The site is well-situated for the mega-size fishing and outdoor store, according to Johnson, noting its proximity to the Housatonic River and Long Island Sound.

"Bass Pro will do okay - you're right off I-95," said Johnson, adding he company has a strategy and format that has surpassed other chains. "Stores closing elsewhere are stores where the concept is past its peak. For Radio Shack, it's time has come and gone, while Wal-Mart, Lowe's and Bass Pro all are healthy companies and growing."

While chain retailers are struggling in some regions, the economic vitality of Fairfield County is something that major companies cannot ignore, Johnson said.